
CSS is a family Company created by Francesco Mortola more than 20 years ago. However, his experience dates back 3 generations on the maritime industry.
Francesco comes from a seafaring village at northern Italy close to Genova. His father and grandfather have dedicated their entire lives to the sea, with the seafaring tradition being a daily family routine.
Both family sides of Mortola ancestors were Ship owners’ knowns as Fratelli Mortola Armatori and Antola Armatori.
Years later, grandfather Mortola Andrea, completed a long experience at sea full of adventures ending as senior master at Esso tankers. At the end of his career, he was awarded with the Gold Medal and Gold Rudder for longstanding on board after more than 50 years at sea.
Captain Gaetano Mortola, Francesco’s father and mentor, was also an experienced VLCC/ULCC Master on ice and river navigation at Exxon Int. Co. He became later an inspector/surveyor for Exxon, Esso Italiana and OCIMF. He is currently a writer for the industry and external advisor for important cases.
The family legacy was the path for Francesco Mortola, founder and director of CSS, who, at his young age, after graduating as a maritime engineer, got his seas experience on board cruises vessels where he later met his wife and started a family.
On the last 30 years, he settled in Barcelona, where he founded Control System Survey and from where the company has grown to reach Iberic position and reputation throughout Spain, Portugal and Italy.

“I´m proud of my family legacy, of my maritime born town Camogli, my Nautical School Cristoforo Colombo, my wife and son support (to keep me going on this demanding profession) and my team at Control System. All this has contributed to the success of our company and is the close contact with our clients what keep us commitment and motivated.”
Francesco Mortola

Our team
One of our strengths at CSS is the experience diversity of our surveyors, which allows us to achieve a wide range of specialties when it comes to an intervention. We were proud to have on our team Captains, Maritime Engineers, Civil Engineers, Forensic and Fire Experts, Lawyers, Accountants, Loss Adjusters & Claim Handlers experts in cargo including perishable and intermodal transport cargo.
Perhaps our best virtue is how truly passionate are we about our job, and this all ends on an evident commitment to do the best.
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